ABOUT THE STAMP SERIES Dangerous Snakes of Papua New Guinea
Midway through the AVRU National Snakebite Management Course, on Wednesday 16 September, Mark O'Shea, along with Kenei Gumaru and Gena Kaiulo from PostPNG, launched a set os six stamps illustrating the medically important snakes of the Papua New Guinea. Entitled the Dangerous Snakes of Papua New Guinea commemorative stamp issue, the launch was further enhanced by the presence of Fat Albert, a 2.75m Papuan taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus canni) from the AVRU Serpentarium.
Mark O'Shea, Kenei Gumaru & Fat Albert launch the "Dangerous Snakes of Papua New Guinea"
stamp series. (click to enlarge)
Gena Kaiulo, Mark O'Shea and Kenei Gumaru
at the launch of the
"Dangerous Snakes of Papua New Guinea"
stamp series. (click to enlarge)
The featured species are:
5t Black whipsnake Demansia vestigiata
80t Papuan taipan Oxyuranus scutellatus canni
K2.00 Smooth-scaled death adder Acanthophis laevis
K3.20 Papuan blacksnake Pseudechis papuanus
K3.25 New Guinea small-eyed snake Micropechis ikaheka
K5.00 Eastern brownsnake Pseudonaja textilis
PNG currency consists of Kina and toea ie. 100 toea = 1 Kina
Mark provided all the images, except one, and all the text. At that time nobody has captured, let alone photographed, an Eastern brownsnake (Pseudonaja textilis) in Papua New Guinea, all known recorded being known for museum specimens killed between the 1930s and 1970s. Prof David A Warrell kindly provided a photograph of an Australian specimen so that the species could be represented. Unfortunately something went wrong with the colour of this image during production, leading to the stamp exhibiting a curious pinkish haze.
Coincidentally, the 2006 expedition provided the first living Papuan specimens of this species.
Mark had figured the most dangerous species, the Papuan taipan would feature on the highest value stamp, but quite logically PostPNG said they wanted the most dangerous species of the stamp used most frequently for domestic post in PNG, a very sensible decision.
Two additional medically important species: Rough-scaled death adder (A.rugosus) and Pigmy mulga snake (Pseudechis rossignolii) that might be expected to occur in southwestern PNG, were mentioned in the accompanying stamp pack.
Stamp Set 1 A set of six mint, unused stamps suitable for a stamp album or for framing and mounting on a wall.
£10.00 per set
Stamp Set 2
The same set of six mint, unused stamps as in Set 1,
but from the corners of a sheet of stamps with the white border attached and signed.
A unique item for for stamp album.
Only 20 sets have been signed. Note: corners vary but the set contains all the same corner.
£10.00 per set
First Day Cover
All six stamps affixed to the official FDC cancelled with the official
Death Adder first day of issue stamp.
The first day cover measures 22x11cm.
This first day cover can be provided signed by Mark.
£10.00 per FDC
Stamp Pack
All six mint and unused stamps in a double-folded souvenir stamp pack
containing full descriptions of the six species and details of the designer Mark O'Shea.
Opened the stamp pack measures approx. 30cm high by 16.5cm wide.
This stamp pack can be provided signed by Mark across a white strip above the stamps.
£12.00 per pack
Limited Edition Maxi-cards
A set of six
Limited Edition Maxi-cards specially printed for the launch of the
Dangerous Snakes of PNG issue.
Each maxi-card postcard measures approx. 15cm x 10cm.
Each maxi-card bears the relevant stamp on its obverse, cancelled with the official Death Adder cancellation stamp, and full details of the species on the reverse. These maxi-cards can be provided signed or unsigned.
This is a Limited Edition, only 100 sets are available worldwide, ever.
Option 1 (pngopt1) Stamp pack & First day cover £20.00
Option 2 (pngopt2) First day cover & Maxi-cards £22.00
Option 4 (pngopt4) Stamp pack, First day cover & Maxi-cards £30.00
Photo credits:
Black whipsnake, Demansia vestigata - Mark O'Shea
Papuan taipan, Oxyuranus scutellatus canni - Mark O'Shea
Smooth-scaled death adder, Acanthophis laevis - Mark O'Shea
Papuan blacksnake, Pseudechis papuanus - Mark O'Shea
New Guinea small-eyed snake, Micropechis ikaheka - Mark O'Shea
New Guinea brownsnake, Pseudonaja textilis - David Warrell
